Until this season, we’d never had a way to measure just how strong the performances of our defensive players are, other than basic stats like intercepts and rebounds.
I wish I’d had Nissan Net Points when I was playing, because it’s definitely given us a great insight into how players and teams are performing.
Having watched almost every game this season, I’ve taken a look at five players whose 2019 performances really stood out to me, with some having absolute standout years, and others not quite delivering the performances I expected they would.
SARAH KLAU AND MADDY TURNER
OK, I’m cheating a little bit. But for me, you can’t talk about Sarah Klau or Maddy Turner without talking about the other. As a combination, these two were the best in Suncorp Super Netball this year.
Neither finished in the top five for Nissan Net Points in their favoured position, with Klau averaging 46.82 Net Points per game, and Turner averaging only 28.67 – well behind Shamera Sterling on 91.6 and Karla Pretorius, who averaged 69.8.
But as a team they conceded the least number of goals of any Super Netball club, and therein lies the Swifts’ strength: team netball. It was the combination between the two of them that made them so good. Once you have that combination where you don’t have to think, and you just fit in around each other, it’s awesome.
Sarah had a phenomenal year. She did have a few little dips during the season, but considering where she’s come from and throwing a World Cup in the middle of the season, her grand final performance of 117.5 Net Points – the 10th highest score of any player for the entire season – proved she’s a big game player.
Maddy is just that natural player that’s really underrated. I probably didn’t rate Maddy enough for what she did for me when I was at the Swifts, until I came to Collingwood and really struggled with our defensive unit. She’s actually really wise beyond her years in regards to her netball brain and how she sees the game, so I’m really happy to see her in the Diamonds, because I think what they need is that consolidation with their connections. I think it’s been proven that you can’t just chuck players together and expect them to perform, so it’ll be interesting to see whether those two are paired up together against the Silver Ferns.
COURTNEY BRUCE
This might seem like a strange thing to say about the third-highest scoring goal keeper in Nissan Net Points (67.2 Net Points average), but next season I want to see something different from Courtney Bruce.
Courtney plays amazing in the games they’re either winning or losing easily, but it’s the games that are super tight that they NEED to win where it looks like she lacks confidence in herself. They’re the times the Fever need her to step up and get turnovers. If they could turn even a few of their draws into wins from this year, then they could have found themselves in a different position.
If she wants to maintain her standing as the number one goal keeper for Australia, this is the area I would be working on because if not, Sarah Klau and her combination with Maddy Turner definitely have the opportunity to take that over.
SHAMERA STERLING
What a season. Shamera was an unknown before the start of the season, and now she’s a household name. She’s just going to continue being a headache for everyone.
At the end of the regular season she owned the top five Nissan Net Points scores for goal keepers, with a best score of 129.5 in Round 11 against the Magpies, which just goes to show how dominant she was.
But on the flipside, her performances also proved for Adelaide this year that it doesn’t matter how many intercepts and turnovers someone gets, it doesn’t guarantee you a win.
Now they have the opportunity to build a strong game around such a solid defender. Imagine if they could get their front end rocking and rolling, with the amount of intercepts she gets.
What makes her so great is not just her ability to win the intercept, but how clean she is around the body and her athleticism and smarts to tap the ball away if she’s not going to get two hands on it.
The biggest thing for a goal keeper, which is what Shamera does best, is that confusion of the space. Once she gets her hands to one, two or three balls in the first or second quarter, you’ve already put doubt in the attacker’s minds and you’ve already won the second half and will get yourself more intercepts because of that. The attackers are already second-guessing themselves and they hold onto the ball for one more second. One second in netball is huge as a defender. It's like having an extra 10 minutes in an exam - that one second allows you to get around the body and intercept the ball - and it's fair to say she's nailed that!
I'm interested to see who they pair with her next season. You don’t need another ‘flying’ goal defence with her, you just need someone who’s going to shut their player down and keep them out of the circle so she can do her job. Because Kate Shimmin is also that aerial type of player, that may not be the best combination. A player like a Jo Weston – that’s the style of player who would suit playing with her. Most players have signed with their clubs already, but if I was them that’s the type of defender I’d be going after to match up with Shamera.
EMILY MANNIX
I love Emily at her best, but sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on why she’s not always as dominant as she could be.
She’s had some standout performances this year and has earned herself the fifth highest Nissan Net Points average among goal keepers (53.4 Net Points) - but if she wants to make her way back into the Diamonds this needs to creep up, considering her partner and crime, Jo Weston, is still in the side.
Emily is only 25 and has the potential to be Australia’s best goal keeper, but now she finds herself out of the Diamonds again, so I can’t wait to see whether that knockback actually fires her up and if she can come out stronger next year to fight her way back in.
KARLA PRETORIUS
Pretorius - what do I need to say when the Nissan Net Points pretty much say it all.
She owned the top five Net Points scores of any goal defence in 2019 and more than doubled the average score of the second-highest scoring goal defence (69.8 Net Points average, versus Jo Weston’s 38.2). Her ability to shut a player out of a game, read the intercept, move her feet around the shooters in the circle is beyond spectacular and awe inspiring (especially when I use to just plow through players!).
One of the only real blemishes on her 2019 record was the 41 Net Points she scored in the grand final – well below her best. But when your team isn't having the best day, it's hard to also have an impact and I'm sure that will fire her up for next year, so if I was a goal attack I'd be worried!
